E-7 Visa Decision Guide · 2026
If you are looking for a professional or skilled job in South Korea, you will probably come across the E-7 visa. The difficult part is not finding the name of the visa. It is working out whether your actual job, your background, the employment contract, and the Korean employer all fit the same E-7 route.
This guide was reviewed on August 14, 2026 against the Ministry of Justice and HiKorea’s visa and stay-status manuals updated July 9, 2026, together with the current Immigration Act. Occupations, salary rules, documents, and procedures can change. Check the latest official guidance for your exact route before filing.
Quick answer: What is the E-7 visa in Korea?
The E-7 is a Korean work status for foreign nationals hired under a contract to perform an activity or occupation designated by the Minister of Justice. It is not a general visa for every office, professional, technical, or skilled job.
A realistic E-7 check has four parts:
- Occupation: Do the real duties fit a current E-7 occupation or route?
- Your qualifications: Do you meet the education, experience, licence, or exception rules for that occupation?
- Employment terms: Does the contract meet the rules that apply to the occupation and subtype?
- The employer: Can the Korean organization meet the relevant business and employment requirements?
A job offer can start the process. It does not answer all four questions or guarantee approval.
The four checks to make before planning an E-7 application
Does the job match an E-7 occupation?
Start with the duties, not the English job title. Compare the work with the current E-7 occupation guide.
Do you meet that occupation’s requirements?
The relevant degree, major, work experience, professional licence, or exception can differ by occupation. Use the E-7 eligibility guide for the detailed check.
Does the contract meet the current rules?
Duties, working hours, and pay should tell one consistent story. For changeable figures, see the maintained E-7 salary requirements.
Is the employer ready to support the case?
The company may need to prove its eligibility, operations, tax standing, and need for the foreign hire. Use the E-7 employer and sponsorship guide.
E-7-1, E-7-2, E-7-3, and E-7-4 at a glance
These are broad orientation categories, not a substitute for the occupation-specific rules. The number and detail of designated occupations can change, so this overview does not freeze a count.
| Category | Broad official classification | What to check first |
|---|---|---|
| E-7-1 | Professional personnel, including managers and specialists | Whether the actual duties match a professional occupation, then your education or experience and the employer’s conditions |
| E-7-2 | Semi-professional personnel in specified office and service roles | The occupation’s separate applicant and employer rules |
| E-7-3 | General skilled personnel in specified functional occupations | Occupation-specific experience, skill testing or certification, and industry conditions |
| E-7-4 | Skilled personnel assessed through a points-based route | The current points route rather than the general E-7-1 education-and-experience framework |
Looking specifically at E-7-4?Go to the maintained E-7-4 K-Point guide. Do not assume that the general professional-worker rules apply to the points-based route.
Choose your starting point
Your next step depends heavily on where you are now. Use the row that best describes your situation.
| Your situation | Best next guide | One important caution |
|---|---|---|
| You are outside Korea and already speaking with a Korean employer | E-7 application process | Follow the overseas visa or Certificate of Visa Issuance route. Do not copy instructions written for an in-Korea change of status. |
| You are in Korea and want to change from your current status | Eligibility and the in-Korea application route | Not every current status can be changed to E-7 inside Korea. Filing the application is not permission to begin the new E-7 activity. |
| You study in Korea, recently graduated, or hold D-2, D-4, or D-10 | E-7 guide for international students and graduates | A Korean degree may help under certain rules, but it does not automatically remove the occupation, contract, and employer checks. |
| You do not have an employer yet | Finding an E-7-ready employer and job sites for foreigners in Korea | Treat “visa support” on a job post as a lead to investigate, not proof that the duties or company qualify. |
| You already hold E-7 and want to move to another employer | E-7 job-change guide and the workplace-change procedure | The correct advance-permission or reporting route can depend on the occupation and facts. Do not start the new job based on a general article alone. |
| You are comparing salary rules, fees, or processing stages | Salary requirements and processing and fee guide | Figures and local instructions can change. Check the maintained page and the authority handling your case instead of relying on an old total. |
How to read a Korean job listing for E-7 potential
Companies use their own job titles. Immigration uses designated activities and occupation criteria. That difference matters.
For example, a posting called “Global Marketing Manager” does not tell you enough by itself. The work might be closer to overseas sales, advertising and public relations, product planning, or another occupation. Look at what the employee will actually do each week, then compare those duties with the relevant E-7 occupation description.
- Highlight the core duties and level of responsibility in the posting.
- Find the closest current E-7 occupation description.
- Check whether your degree, major, experience, or licence fits that occupation.
- Ask whether the employer has reviewed its own requirements and the salary rule.
A useful question for the recruiter is: “Which E-7 occupation code does the company expect to use for this role?” The answer helps you investigate the case, but a proposed code is still not an approval decision.
What does employer “visa sponsorship” mean in Korea?
For an E-7 case, sponsorship is more than a company saying it wants to hire you. The employer may need to provide the employment contract, business documents, tax documents, and evidence explaining the need for the foreign hire. The employer’s industry and staffing conditions may also matter under the applicable occupation rules.
Before accepting “we support visas” as a complete answer, ask:
- Has the company handled an E-7 case before?
- Which occupation will it use, and how do the duties match?
- Who will prepare the applicant and employer documents?
- Have the salary and working hours been checked against the current rule?
- Will the case use an overseas route or an in-Korea change of status?
How the E-7 application sequence works
- Map the real job to the correct occupation.
Compare the proposed duties and responsibility level with the official occupation framework. - Check your qualifications for that route.
Identify the relevant education, experience, licence, certification, or exception rule. - Check the contract and employer together.
Make sure the duties, hours, pay, employer documents, and occupation-specific business conditions are consistent. - Use the route that matches your location and current status.
An overseas visa or Certificate of Visa Issuance route is different from a change of status inside Korea. Use the E-7 document checklist as a starting point, then confirm the exact filing instructions. - Wait for the official decision before relying on E-7 work authorization.
Respond to any document request and do not assume that filing alone authorizes the proposed new activity. Confirm case-specific questions with HiKorea, 1345, the immigration office, or the Korean mission handling the application.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Searching by job title only: the actual duties and official occupation mapping matter more.
- Checking only your degree: experience, licences, exceptions, contract terms, and employer rules may also apply.
- Treating employer interest as employer eligibility: a willing company can still have missing documents or fail an occupation-specific condition.
- Using an old salary, fee, or occupation count: verify changeable facts on the maintained detailed page and official source.
- Mixing overseas and domestic procedures: choose the route for your current location and immigration status.
- Assuming filing means you can start: an application for a different status is not itself permission to begin the new activity.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a job offer for an E-7 visa?
The ordinary E-7 framework is based on a contract with a Korean public or private organization, so a qualifying job and employer are central to the case. A job offer alone, however, does not prove that the occupation, applicant, contract, and employer all qualify.
Can I apply for an E-7 visa from outside Korea?
Yes, there are overseas visa and Certificate of Visa Issuance routes. Your Korean employer and the Korean embassy or consulate handling the visa should confirm the current route and documents for your case.
Is there one minimum salary for every E-7 category?
No single figure should be applied blindly to every E-7 route. The applicable rule can depend on the category, occupation, year, and any specific provision. Check the current salary guide.
Does “visa support” from a company guarantee approval?
No. It may mean the company is willing to help with the process, but the immigration decision still depends on the occupation, your qualifications, the contract, the employer, and the submitted evidence.
How long does an E-7 application take?
There is no verified public timetable that can safely predict every E-7 case nationwide. The steps and local visa schedule differ by route and office. See the processing and fee guide, then check with the authority accepting your application.
Where should an international student in Korea start?
Start with the E-7 guide for international students and graduates. Your current status, Korean degree, proposed occupation, contract, and employer all affect the next step.